City guide · 伊勢 Ise
Ise
The sacred shrine grounds every Japanese hopes to visit once in a lifetime — Ise Jingū, home of Amaterasu Ōmikami, and its Shikinen Sengū rebuilding rite
The city of Ise lies in eastern Mie Prefecture on the shore of Ise Bay, and the Japanese call it "the home of the heart." Ise Jingū — the collective name for the Naikū (Inner Shrine), dedicated to Amaterasu Ōmikami, and the Gekū (Outer Shrine), dedicated to Toyouke Ōmikami — is the head shrine of Japan's more than seven thousand shrines. The clear stream of the Isuzu River, dawn at the Uji Bridge, and the scent of red bean in Okage Yokochō have carried the Edo-period saying "visit Ise at least once in your life" down to today. The streets of Uji-Yamada were born for worshippers, and even now, at New Year and in Shikinen Sengū years, millions upon millions of visitors pour into this small city.
History
How the city came to be
According to the *Nihon Shoki*, in the reign of Emperor Suinin the princess Yamatohime-no-mikoto, bearing Amaterasu Ōmikami with her, wandered in search of a place to enshrine the goddess, and at last settled her on the banks of the Isuzu River in Ise — the founding of the shrine. In the Asuka period the Shikinen Sengū rite was established, rebuilding the shrine halls every twenty years; it has continued for more than thirteen hundred years since its first performance in 690. From the medieval period onward, *onshi* priests travelled the whole country spreading the faith and forming confraternities, and in the Edo period a nationwide craze for *okage mairi* mass pilgrimages swept Japan. After the Meiji Restoration the shrine stood at the apex of State Shinto; after the war it returned to being the spiritual centre of the shrine world, and it remains the most special place in the Japanese heart today.
- Legendary eraThe *Nihon Shoki* records that in the reign of Emperor Suinin, Yamatohime-no-mikoto, bearing Amaterasu Ōmikami, searched for a site and finally settled the goddess on the banks of the Isuzu River in Ise
- 690The first Shikinen Sengū performed (reign of Empress Jitō); the twenty-year rebuilding cycle has been followed ever since
- 17th centuryThe onshi priest network spreads across every domain in the country, and mass "okage mairi" pilgrimages take off
- 1705The great okage mairi boom of the Hōei era; tradition says millions made their way to Ise within a few months
- 1869Emperor Meiji worships at Ise in person — the first emperor in history to visit Ise Jingū
- 2013The 62nd Shikinen Sengū completed; the 63rd is set for 2033
Stories
Stories of the city
Yamatohime-no-mikoto searches for a home for Amaterasu
Legend · Ise Grand Shrine
The Nihon Shoki records that about two thousand years ago, Yamatohime-no-mikoto, daughter of Emperor Suinin, set out from Mount Miwa in Nara to find a permanent place to worship Amaterasu, ancestral deity of the imperial family; after twenty years of wandering through Ōmi, Mino and other provinces, she finally came to Ise.
The great ceremony held every twenty years
History · Ise Grand Shrine
Ise Jingū holds a great ceremony every twenty years. Historical records show that during the ceremony of 1625, 3.62 million people came to worship within 50 days; in 1829, 1.18 million came in just three days.
Must see
Places you shouldn’t miss
Local life
Food and local daily life
Ise Jingū Hōnō National Fireworks Festival
Must-try
- Ise udon
- Tekone-zushi
- Akafuku mochi
Ise udon (thick noodles in dark soy sauce, around the venue / in the city), tekone-zushi (hand-mixed sushi), Akafuku mochi (a speciality around the Outer Shrine), yakisoba / skewer yatai
| Where to eat | Yatai at the Miyagawa riverbank venue, restaurants in front of Iseshi Station / Oharai-machi (by day) |
|---|---|
| Dining etiquette | The fireworks are an offering to the Jingū — dress appropriately on the day you worship, don't eat or drink in the Jingū, and take rubbish home from the yatai area |
| Typical price per person | Yatai JPY 1,500–3,000 ≈ CNY 68–135 |
| Tips | Worship by day and have a proper meal at Okage Yokochō, then just buy yatai snacks for the fireworks at night. |
Prices are typical rates as of October 2026, not exact quotes; CNY equivalents are approximate where exchange rates fluctuate.
Miyuki Meinaka · CC BY-SA 4.0
Before you go
Rules to know in Ise
There is no tipping in Japan
Do
- Say thank you with 'arigatō gozaimashita'
Don’t
- Pressing loose change on staff
Japan is a no-tipping country and bills usually include service; if you press a tip on staff, some will politely refuse.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: JNTO: Japanese table manners
Take off your shoes when you see a genkan (entrance step)
Do
- Take off your shoes at the entrance of homes, some restaurants, temples and hot-spring facilities
- If unsure, look for a shoe rack or slippers at the entrance
Don’t
- Stepping onto tatami or indoor wooden floors in shoes
It is seen as very rude.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: JNTO: Japanese etiquette
No phone calls on trains and the shinkansen; queue to board
Do
- Put your phone on silent; on the shinkansen, take calls in the area between carriages
- Queue at the marked spots on either side of the train door, and let people off before you get on
- Give priority seats to older people, pregnant women and passengers with limited mobility
Don’t
- Talking on the phone or playing sound aloud in the train
Not illegal, but you will get looks and a reminder from the conductor.
Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: JNTO: Japanese etiquette